Enterprise Data Architect

Were on the hunt for an experienced Enterprise Data Architect to join our Tech pillar where youll proactively and holistically design create and manage 1st Centrals overall data architecture. In this exciting role youll be responsible for setting and managing the strategy for the organisations data architecture providing architectural direction for the Data Platform supporting the delivery and formulation of business outcomes and the data capabilities to deliver them.

We value flexible working arrangements so you can choose to work remotely or maybe you live within a commutable distance from one of our offices in Salford Quays Manchester Haywards Heath West Sussex or Guernsey and want to work in the office occasionally.

Core skills were looking for to succeed in the role:

• Effective leadership skills with exceptional soft and interpersonal skills including teamwork facilitation and negotiation.

• Ability to collaborate and excel in complex cross-functional teams involving data scientists business analysts and stakeholders

• Strong consulting skills such as targeted communications engagement management stakeholder management and business development.

• Familiarity with enterprise architecture tools related graphical models and frameworks.

• Formal enterprise architectural certification is preferred

• Experience of using data modelling and data governance tooling

• Identification and management of risk

• Problem solving skills with the ability to adopt a logical approach

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills

Whats Involved:

• Youll lead analysis of the business future-state data capabilities and future (and current) Technology environment to detect gaps and opportunities and recommend solutions for improvement to drive the business towards its targeted outcomes.

• Youll interpret and deliver impactful strategic plans improving data integration data quality and data delivery in support of business initiatives and roadmaps

• Youll proactively lead definition of the Enterprise Data Architecture through standards reference models and architecture designs to govern/assess the impact of new and ongoing technology investment on the business and enterprise ensuring alignment to the Enterprise Architecture technology strategy and wider business plans.

• Youll develop a roadmap for the evolution of the enterprise data architecture from current to future state identifying and defining enablers to that evolution

• Youll review emerging technology trends and disruptions within the data domain and their practical application to enable new and evolving business and operating models

• Youll present gap analysis and data technology investment roadmaps that reflect the status of the existing enterprise and its ability to contribute to future-state business capabilities recommending opportunities and solutions for improvement

• Youll facilitate a collaborative relationship across architecture community business leaders product management and delivery teams to ensure consistency with the enterprise architecture as well as to leverage shared technologies tools and processes that impact speed to value and time to market.

• Youll monitor the current-state data enterprise to identify deficiencies through aging of the technologies used or misalignment with business and technology strategies

• Youll collaborate across business and technology teams to understand data consumers needs and develop solutions

• Youll develop conceptual logical and physical data models

• Youll lead the development and management of an Enterprise view of data consumption and production

• Youll comply with the requirements and act in accordance with the Group Code of Conduct and Fitness and Propriety policies at all times

• Youll ensure compliance with Company Policies Values and guidelines and other relevant standards/ regulations at all times

• Youll take responsibility for maintaining department risk registers (as applicable) providing evidence and commentary for controls updates for Mitigation Actions and maintaining control matrices and Attestations.

• Youll create and present recommendation papers to governance

Experience & Knowledge

• Significant experience in previous enterprise and data architecture roles

• Exposure to multiple diverse technologies platforms and processing environments

• Good understanding of strategic and emerging technology trends and the practical application of existing and emerging technologies to new and evolving business and operating models

• Proficiency in the design and implementation of modern data platforms architectures and concepts such as cloud services real-time data distribution and modern data warehouse tools (Datalake Databricks Synapse PowerBI)

• Experience of creation and maintenance of an Enterprise Data Architecture within the scope of large organisations leveraging an Agile approach to change

• Experience with database technologies

• Experience of development and contributing to data governance frameworks

• Significant experience of entity-relationship modelling metadata systems and data quality tools and techniques

• Knowledge of analysis design modelling and Enterprise Architecture techniques

• Experience developing architecture blueprints strategies and roadmaps ideally leveraging architectural tooling

• Experience delivering presentations to senior-level executives and technical audience

• Good understanding of business models operating models financial models cost-benefit analysis budgeting and risk management.

• Understanding of various change models such as project-centric and product-centric and also different types of agile principles methodologies and frameworks especially those designed to be scaled at the enterprise level.

• Awareness of existing new and emerging technologies and processing environments.

• Ability to communicate complex and abstract concepts in an easy to understand and follow manner

• Ideally an insurance or financial Services background although other backgrounds will be considered

• Knowledge of FCA requirements (including Consumer Duty)

Skills

• Effective leadership skills with exceptional soft and interpersonal skills including teamwork facilitation and negotiation.

• Ability to collaborate and excel in complex cross-functional teams involving data scientists business analysts and stakeholders

• Strong consulting skills such as targeted communications engagement management stakeholder management and business development.

• Familiarity with enterprise architecture tools related graphical models and frameworks.

• Formal enterprise architectural certification is preferred

• Experience of using data modelling and data governance tooling

• Identification and management of risk

• Problem solving skills with the ability to adopt a logical approach

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills

Behaviours

• Acts as a mentor leading by example to continuously improve services and processes and grow Enterprise Architecture skillsets across the team

• Understands advocates and augments the business and technology strategies and more specifically EA development and service delivery. Is prepared to sell the EA process (overall not just for enterprise technology architecture) its outcome and ongoing results and to lead the communication or marketing activities needed to ensure enterprise success and use.

• Commercially focussed and results driven taking a pragmatic approach to delivering value

• Self-motivated and enthusiastic

• An organised and pro-active approach

• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team

• A flexible approach and positive attitude

• Emphasis on attention to detail and accuracy

• Takes initiative to make decisions

• Strives to drive business improvements to contribute to the success of the business